Oklahoma City, OK (June 25, 2007) – Increasing consumer access to information on hospital performance and costs is one strategy being used by government agencies to help improve quality of health care in Oklahoma, officials from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) told the Hospital Quality Conference held this month in Oklahoma City. Over 200 healthcare professionals from rural and urban Oklahoma hospitals joined state and federal health officials and industry experts to explore the impact of the presidential order for transparency on healthcare quality as well as communications challenges for hospitals. Hosted by Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality (OFMQ), the conference included an awards ceremony recognizing select hospitals for quality improvement.

Dr. Carolyn Clancy, Director of the Agency on Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), discussed the government’s move toward transparency and priorities for research, performance measurement, and financial incentives (or pay-for-performance) for providers. Putting more information in the public domain and making resources available to help consumers ask the right questions is the premise behind AHRQ’s new campaign to spur market forces to drive quality. Consumers can find a Question Builder to use during doctor visits at www.ahrq.gov/questionsaretheanswer. A variety of tools, including fact sheets, checklists, and pocket guides are online at www.ahrq.gov/consumer.

DHHS Secretary Michael Leavitt’s Healthier U.S. Campaign bus, on a nationwide tour, joined the conference, and Dr. James Randolph Farris, Regional Administrator from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), spoke on the importance of preventing chronic disease and illness by taking advantage of screenings and preventive benefits offered through Medicare and other wellness resources. Consumers can visit www.healthierus.gov for more information.

OFMQ’s Quality awards recognize Oklahoma hospitals with the highest performance for care in heart failure, heart attack, and pneumonia: Harper County Community Hospital, Fairfax Memorial Hospital, INTEGRIS Mayes County Medical Center, Woodward Regional Hospital, Saint Francis Hospital Broken Arrow, Southcrest Hospital, Medical Center of Southeastern Oklahoma, Norman Regional Hospital, and Oklahoma Heart Hospital. (View Winners)
 
Fifteen Critical Access Hospitals were also recognized for quality improvement: Cleveland Hospital, Creek Nation Hospital, Fairfax Hospital, Harper Hospital, Healdton Hospital, Holdenville Hospital, Johnston Hospital, Kingfisher Hospital, Logan Hospital, Mangum Hospital, Mary Hurley Hospital, Okeene Hospital, Pawhuska Hospital, Prague Hospital, and Southwestern Memorial Hospital.

“Many Oklahoma hospitals have worked diligently in partnership with OFMQ and the QIO program to improve quality of care,” said Jim Williams, OFMQ President and CEO. “We are encouraged by the success and progress and want to continue to work together in this great effort to improve health care and improve lives in Oklahoma,” he said.

Dr. Michael Crutcher, State Commissioner and Secretary of Health, acknowledged Oklahoma’s opportunity to improve health care and challenged the status quo. Other conference speakers were Dr. William Rupp, President/CEO, Immanuel St. Joseph’s—Mayo Health System, Institute for Healthcare Improvement senior faculty; Darlene Bainbridge, President/CEO, Bainbridge and Associates, Inc., Donna Turtle, Associate VP, Quorum Health Resources, and Dr. Dale Bratzler, Medical Director, Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality.